ARCADIA >> Gary Stevens won his first Breeders’ Cup race since 2000, winning the $2 million Distaff aboard 5-2 third choice Beholder at Santa Anita Park on Friday.

Beholder, third for much of the way, moved up to second behind pacesetter Authenticity on the turn for home, took the lead and then drew off from runner-up Close Hatches to win her fifth race in seven starts this year and eighth in 12 lifetime races.

The 3-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes ran the 1 1/8 miles over the main track in 1:47.77.

Royal Delta, bidding to win her third consecutive Distaff, could do no better than fourth under Mike Smith. Princess of Sylmar, a Horse of the Year contender going in finished last in the field of six after breaking poorly from the six hole.

Beholder returned $7.60 for the victory.

MARATHON: Jo Hughes, based in England, became the first European female trainer to win a Breeders’ Cup race Friday when 9-1 shot London Bridge won the $500,000 Marathon in come-from-behind fashion under Mike Smith.

Hughes joined Diane Alvarado, Jenine Sahadi, Laura de Seroux and Carla Gaines as the only females to train a Breeders’ Cup winner. She remained in England this week and assistant Mikael Magnusson saddled the New York-bred London Bridge.

“This is absolutely fantastic,” he said. “It’s been our plan all along. We sold the horse prior to this race and he will now go and race in Australia.”

Taken back early by Smith, London Bridge closed stoutly from eighth in the middle of the track to overtake Blueskiesnrainbows and Martin Pedroza in the final eighth of a mile and win by one length while running the 1 3/4 miles on the main track in 2:58.32.

Worldly, with David Flores up, finished third.

Ever Rider, the 9-2 favorite, did not finish the race because of exhaustion, according to the stewards.

JUVENILE TURF: With a half-length victory by Outstrip (paying $14), U.S. jockey Mike Smith kept up his Breeders’ Cup domination and Europe-based horses continued to treat the Santa Anita grass like home turf.

Smith’s victory was his second Friday and the 19th of his career in Breeders’ Cup races, extending his record. Smith has ridden at least one winner at five of the past six Breeders’ Cups. He didn’t win at the 2010 event, the year he and Zenyatta finished a close second to Garrett Gomez and Blame in an unforgettable Classic.

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“There’s no better jock around here,” winning trainer Charles Appleby said of Smith.

The gray Outstrip, a British-bred 2-year-old colt by Exceed and Excel out of Asi Siempre, and a winner of two of four starts in England for Appleby and owner Godolphin Racing, made it five European winners in the seven years the $1 million Juvenile Turf has been run.

Eleventh in the 13-horse field early in the fast-paced 1-mile race, Outstrip rallied on the outside to beat Ireland’s Giovanni Boldini, who battled 6-5 favorite Bobby’s Kitten into the stretch. Bobby’s Kitten finished third.

“We felt we had the best horse and we felt we had the best jockey,” winning trainer Doug O’Neill said.

Goldencents, this year’s Santa Anita Derby winner, ran the final quarter-mile in a slow 26.48 seconds but comfortably held off second-place finisher Golden Ticket and Joel Rosario to win by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:35.12.

Brujo de Olleros finished third under Alan Garcia.

The victory was O’Neill’s fourth at the Breeders’ Cup and first since 2007. He was scheduled to saddle nine horses this year at the two-day World Championships.

Goldencents was the 7-2 second choice behind 5-2 favorite Verrazano, who finished fourth with John Velazquez aboard.

Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino is a part owner of Goldencents.

Carson, 70, a five-time British champion in his years as a jockey, made his previous mark in Breeders’ Cup lore as the rider of Dayjur, the 1990 Sprint favorite who lost a heartbreaker to Safely Kept after jumping shadows in the Belmont Park stretch. Carson was winless in three Breeders’ Cup races.

Carson said the win Friday softened the blow: “That (1990 race) would’ve been worse a hundred thousand (dollars). This is a lot more.”

Hughes was winless in seven Breeders’ Cup starts before getting aboard Chriselliam, an Irish-bred 2-year-old filly by Iffraaj out of Danielli who won a Group 1 mile at Newmarket for trainer Charles Hills. It was the second year in a row a Europe-based horse won the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Testa Rossi finished 2 1/2 lengths back in second, Colonel John third. Vorda, a 5-2 favorite after winning a Group 1 sprint at Newmarket, finished seventh.